Chicago Marathon Training: Weeks 8 and 9

Summer has officially arrived! And with it comes heat. As an early morning runner (usual weekday start times =  5 am), summer heat doesn't bother me. It makes things easier. I just throw on a tank (or not, summer is sports bra season) and shorts and I'm good to go. I don't have to think about layering or becoming too warm because I wore a long sleeve. I don't have to worry about my fingers freezing because I forgot gloves. 

However, the last couple of weeks have been scorchers. We have had multiple days of triple digit heat where the temperature would rise to 90F before 9 am. That's hot. 

The day I realized training got REAL

Just like the weather, my training has become intense. I'm now firmly entrenched in the strength building phase. And I love it.  

Week 8 (June 19-June 25)

Monday: 5 miles easy (5.0 miles, 9:34/mi)

Tuesday: 4 miles easy (4.2 miles, 9:15/mi). Jasyoga: 5 min Hip Flexor and 5 min Hip Reset.

Wednesday: Mile Repeats. 2 miles warm-up, 6 x 1 mile @ 8:15-8:20/mi, 1 min rest, 1 mile cool-down.  (work splits: 8:10, 8:14, 8:11, 8:15, 8:15, 8:16) This is where the sh@t got real. Oh boy, tough work out. (9.5 miles, 8:58/mi). Jasyoga: Work-out Day Warm-up and Quick Post-L/R Reset

Thursday: OFF. Easy walk with Paul and Nani to coffee.

Friday: 7 miles easy (7.0 miles, 9:29/mi)

Saturday: 14 miles long run (14.0 miles, 10:01/mi). A very hilly, challenging run route. Jasyoga: Recovery Boost for Runners.

14 mile, very hilly & challenging run
on Global #SportsBraSquad Day!

Sunday: 4 miles easy (3.3 miles, 10:23). Slept in and dawdled. Very hot. Cut run short. 

Week 9 (June 26-July 2)

Monday: 4 miles easy (4.1 miles, 9:55/mi)

Tuesday: 6 miles easy (6.0 miles, 9:44/mi)

Wednesday: 8 miles easy (8.2 miles, 9:28/mi). Hilly route. Jasyoga: How to Activate Your Glutes and Quad Reset

Thursday: Marathon Goal Pace. 2 miles warm-up, 6 miles @ 8:35-8:45/mi. (work splits: 8:43, 8:36, 8:37, 8:17, 8:14, 8:21). My average pace for the 6 work miles was 8:28 /mi! I ran the work out on the track because I live/train in rolling hills and I want to learn how my goal marathon pace feels on flat terrain because Chicago Marathon is 26 miles of flat. This is the first time I ran 6 miles straight (w/o rests or recovery) on a track! It's a mental game, for sure. I felt like a superwoman after crushing this workout.
 

Wore my new singlet to harness superpowers
for my goal marathon pace workout

Friday: 4 miles easy (4.1 miles, 9:22/mi). 30 minute Tabata class. Jasyoga: Quick Unstick for Stiff Sides

Saturday: 12 miles long run. Woke up at 4am on a Saturday to get this run in before my parents picked me up for a 5 hour drive to attend a 50th wedding anniversary party (12.0 miles, 9:25/mi). Jasyoga: Quick Post-Run Reset

Sunday: 4 miles easy. Skipped this run. Drank wine and had fun at the party night before. Did not feel like waking up early before we started the long drive back nor did I feel like running when I got home. Jasyoga: 5-min Quad Reset.

Total Weekly Miles (Week 8-9): 86.6 (43.0+43.6) miles, 13 hours, 41 minutes
2017 Miles: 658 miles, 106 hours, 27 minutes

Now that I'm back to training, I've rejoined the training link up on Eat Pray Run DC. See the link up HERE. Courtney is training for the Berlin Marathon. :)